Why do I feel lately that studying rhetoric is amoral and

>>9039660
How should I know why you feel things?

>>9039681
Why do you think someone would feel that way?

>>9039660
because it is

>>9039698
Well I thought yall literary types would be more offended and have a reason for your studies. Good for you.

Studying rhetoric is amoral and can be manipulative, yes. Rhetoric is precisely about that. That doesn't mean you should miss on studying rhetoric, in fear you could become amoral yourself. What you say with it is a different matter, you preach with rhetoric, you discuss with it, you can say shit or good stuff in shit or good ways. You should study rhetoric, if anything, to at least not be played by others so easily and learn the tools you can employ.

It can really get to you though. Some people learn to articulate themselves so well in face of a disagreement that they themselves start thinking what they are saying is right just because the other is not refuting it and responding so well to it. That's why I think rhetoric should be combined with other stuff (ie not be an asshole, actually know your shit, listen to people with an authentic attention, etc), but then again, that's not rhetoric, that's something else.

When did people start using words rhetoric and sophistry interchangably?

>>9039913
When we stopped writing for a living and got a legitimate career.

>>9039660
Because you're stupid. Sorry.

>>9040260
You don't have to write professionally to understand the distinction. Any high school student, or college freshman at latest, should know the difference.

>>9039714
>all literature is rhetoric

???